Latest news with #HughRobertson
The Herald
16-07-2025
- General
- The Herald
World risks R700-trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands: report
The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39-trillion (R698.8-trillion) in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday. About 22% of wetlands, freshwater systems such as peat lands, rivers and lakes and coastal marine systems including mangroves and coral reefs, have disappeared since 1970, according to the intergovernmental report, the fastest pace of loss of any ecosystem. Pressures including land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species and the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and drought, are driving the declines. "The scale of loss and degradation is beyond what we can afford to ignore," said Hugh Robertson, lead author of the report. The report called for annual investments of $275bn (R4.9-trillion) to $550bn (R9.8-trillion) to reverse the threats to the remaining wetlands, and said spending was a "substantial under-investment" without giving figures. The world has lost 411-million hectares of wetlands, the equivalent of half a billion football pitches, and a quarter of the remaining wetlands are classified as in a state of degradation, according to the report.
TimesLIVE
16-07-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
World risks R700-trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands: report
The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39-trillion (R698.8-trillion) in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday. About 22% of wetlands, freshwater systems such as peat lands, rivers and lakes and coastal marine systems including mangroves and coral reefs, have disappeared since 1970, according to the intergovernmental report, the fastest pace of loss of any ecosystem. Pressures including land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species and the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and drought, are driving the declines. "The scale of loss and degradation is beyond what we can afford to ignore," said Hugh Robertson, lead author of the report. The report called for annual investments of $275bn (R4.9-trillion) to $550bn (R9.8-trillion) to reverse the threats to the remaining wetlands, and said spending was a "substantial under-investment" without giving figures. The world has lost 411-million hectares of wetlands, the equivalent of half a billion football pitches, and a quarter of the remaining wetlands are classified as in a state of degradation, according to the report.
Japan Times
16-07-2025
- General
- Japan Times
World risks up to $39 trillion in losses from vanishing wetlands: report
The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39 trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday. Some 22% of wetlands, both freshwater systems such as peat lands, rivers and lakes, and coastal marine systems including mangroves and coral reefs, have disappeared since 1970, according to the intergovernmental report, the fastest pace of loss of any ecosystem. Pressures, including land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and the impacts of climate change — such as rising sea levels and drought — are driving the declines. "The scale of loss and degradation is beyond what we can afford to ignore," said Hugh Robertson, the lead author of the report. The report called for annual investments of $275 billion to $550 billion to reverse the threats to the remaining wetlands, and said current spending was a "substantial under-investment" without giving figures. The world has lost 411 million hectares of wetlands, and a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now classified as in a state of degradation, according to the report. Wetlands' economic benefits include flood regulation, water purification and carbon storage — key as water levels rise and tropical storms and hurricanes intensify due to climate change. They also support the fishery and agriculture industries and offer cultural benefits. The report launches a week before the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, meeting of the parties of the Convention on Wetlands, a global agreement between 172 countries signed in 1971 to spearhead preservation of the ecosystem. The group, which includes China, Russia and the United States, meets every three years, but it is unclear if all nations will send delegates. Wetland deterioration is particularly acute in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, but is worsening in Europe and North America, the report said. Rehabilitation projects are under way in countries including Zambia, Cambodia and China.
RNZ News
15-07-2025
- General
- RNZ News
World risks losing more of its wetlands, DOC scientist Hugh Robertson tells UN
Department of Conservation freshwater scientist Dr Hugh Robertson is the lead author of the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 report. Photo: Supplied / DoC An international report, led by a Department of Conservation scientist, warns the world is on track to lose even more of its wetlands - but solutions exist that could help wetlands thrive. Dr Hugh Robertson, a DOC freshwater scientist, was lead author of the Global Wetland Outlook 2025 , and chair of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel of the International Convention on Wetlands. He presented the report to the United Nations in Nairobi yesterday. "New Zealand has lost 90 percent of our wetlands," Robertson said. "This pattern is reflected internationally - over 400 million hectares of wetlands have vanished since 1970. "And if the loss continues at its current rate, a further fifth of the world's remaining wetlands could be gone by 2050 unless we take action." Wetlands provided food, regulated the global water cycle, removed water pollution, served as a buffer from the effects of sea level rise and storm surges, and stored carbon. In New Zealand, wetlands were home to an abundance of taonga species - kahikatea, native ducks, rare orchids and mudfish, to name a few wetland plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. "Losing a further fifth of wetlands globally will have enormous impact on people, nature and economies, amounting to losses of up to USD$39 trillion ($NZ65 trillion)," Robertson said. However, he said the panel behind the report was at pains to lay out a pathway for conserving wetlands. "The report suggests a combination of private and public financing could address the funding gaps , such as biodiversity credits," Robertson said. "Recognising the essential role of wetlands to store, filter and regulate water flows, and treating wetlands as essential infrastructure will also hope to reverse wetlands loss. "Restoration per hectare costs anything between USD$1000 and $70,000 (about NZ$1600 to $115,000), so conserving wetlands is cheaper than restoring them." Global Wetland Outlook 2025 has been published in the lead-up to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention Conference of Parties (COP 15), taking place in Zimbabwe from 23 July. Ramsar was a global treaty dedicated to promoting international cooperation and actions to protect wetlands. At COP 15, countries would make decisions to address wetland loss and degradation and improve management of wetlands of international importance. New Zealand's latest report on its internationally important wetlands (Ramsar sites), published earlier this year, would be tabled at COP15. The report covered the recent, devastating fires at Awarua-Waituna and Whangamarino wetlands , as well as positive changes through the government's Jobs for Nature programme, DOC's Ngā Awa river restoration programme and partnering with tangata whenua to monitor wetland condition. New Zealand had seven wetland sites listed as internationally significant under the Ramsar Wetland Convention and submitted international reporting updates on their condition every seven years. They included Farewell Spit (Golden Bay), Firth of Thames (Hauraki Gulf), Koputai Peat Dome (Hauraki Plains), Manawatū Estuary (Foxton, Horowhenua), Awarua-Waituna Lagoon (Southland), Wairarapa Moana (Wairarapa) and Whangamarino Wetland (Northern Waikato). Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Reuters
15-07-2025
- General
- Reuters
World risks up to $39 trillion in economic losses from vanishing wetlands, report says
NAIROBI, July 15 (Reuters) - The global destruction of wetlands, which support fisheries, agriculture and flood control, may mean the loss of $39 trillion in economic benefits by 2050, according to a report by the Convention on Wetlands released on Tuesday. Some 22% of wetlands, both freshwater systems such as peat lands, rivers and lakes, and coastal marine systems including mangroves and coral reefs, have disappeared since 1970, according to the intergovernmental report, the fastest pace of loss of any ecosystem. Pressures, including land-use change, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and the impacts of climate change - such as rising sea levels and drought - are driving the declines. "The scale of loss and degradationis beyond what we can afford to ignore," said Hugh Robertson, the lead author of the report. The report called for annual investments of $275 billion to $550 billion to reverse the threats to the remaining wetlands, and said current spending was a "substantial under-investment" without giving figures. The world has lost 411 million hectares of wetlands, the equivalent of half a billion football pitches, and a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now classified as in a state of degradation, according to the report. Wetlands' economic benefits include flood regulation, water purification and carbon storage - key as water levels rise and tropical storms and hurricanes intensify due to climate change. They also support the fishery and agriculture industries and offer cultural benefits. The report launches a week before the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, meeting of the parties of the Convention on Wetlands, a global agreement of 172 countries signed in 1971 to spearhead preservation of the ecosystem. The group, which includes China, Russia and the United States, meets every three years, but it is unclear if all nations will send delegates. Wetland deterioration is particularly acute in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, but is worsening in Europe and North America, the report said. Rehabilitation projects are under way in countries including Zambia, Cambodia and China.
